Chapter 31: Shi Yaoyao Even Dug Out a Box of Toothpaste

Perhaps sensing the gazes of Yi Zhe and Chen Yong, Shi Yaoyao felt a sense of unease. She quietly hid behind her aunt.

Shi Yuebai glanced at Yi Zhe. "Yes, just the three of us. Everyone else is busy with the task of moving stones and couldn't get away."

Yi Zhe placed his hands on his hips and stared intently at Shi Yaoyao, taking a deep breath. This girl really had no sense of priority. For the Shi family right now, was moving stones really that important? Shouldn't they be seizing every opportunity to scavenge? He was about to speak again, but seeing Shi Yuebai’s righteous expression, he felt a wave of helplessness.

"Fine, just the three of you it is." He waved his hand, finally conceding to Shi Yuebai.

Seeing Shi Yaoyao’s thin frame, carrying a large pack on her back and a baby in her arms—stumbling as she walked, her movements completely uncoordinated—he knew it was impossible to let her push Shi Yuebai around to scavenge. Resigned, Yi Zhe gripped the handle of Shi Yuebai’s flatbed cart, steadied his breathing, and began to push her forward.

"The place I’m taking you to scavenge today is very close to the perimeter line," Yi Zhe said, looking down at Shi Yuebai, who resembled a mountain of flesh. "Only at the edge of the perimeter line is there less competition from other survivors. You should be able to find quite a bit of food there."

Ordinary survivors only operated within the safety zone. Therefore, the management of the Great City hired mercenaries to expand the safety zone while guarding the city, in order to acquire more survival resources. As soon as a new range was cleared, survivors would swarm in to scavenge. Those who were even slightly slow would find almost nothing edible left after a few days. Thus, the place Yi Zhe was taking them was near the front lines of the mercenaries' operations.

Seeing Shi Yuebai sitting silently in front, Yi Zhe thought she was afraid. "Don't worry. Although you are scavenging at the front line today, with us here, we will protect the three of you." As a man of great responsibility, he was determined to bring them back just as safely as he had brought them out.

Shi Yuebai responded lazily. She was a woman of few words, and as Yi Zhe pushed her along, her gaze remained fixed on the ruins they passed. She spotted many items that she felt could be put to use if salvaged. Consequently, she had little desire to engage with Yi Zhe.

Shi Yaoyao stumbled along behind Yi Zhe, with Chen Yong walking by her side. Initially, Chen Yong thought Yaoyao would be a handful, but throughout the journey to the perimeter, she hadn't screamed or acted impatient as she usually did. Although she bobbed her head and moved with uncoordinated limbs, she was far less trouble than he had anticipated.

At the perimeter, survivors were nowhere to be seen; only small groups of mercenaries with weapons appeared from time to time. Yi Zhe parked the cart in front of a pile of debris. "Before the end of the world, this must have been a night market. It has already been swept five or six times by mercenaries. We will set up our base here; it is very safe. You and Yaoyao can scavenge here."

This area was vast, and the mutant beasts and zombies that once occupied it had already been cleared by Yi Zhe's men. As Yi Zhe prepared to expand their range, he paused, bent down, and pulled out a rectangular communicator. "This belongs to our unit. The previous owner sacrificed his life, so you take it for now. If anything happens, contact me directly using this, and I will get here as fast as I can."

Shi Yuebai looked at the communicator in her hand; the scratched screen displayed several pre-set channels, including the team channel for Yi Zhe’s mercenary group, a private channel for Yi Zhe, and the public channel for the entire Great City.

"Alright, go on with your work. Thank you." Shi Yuebai accepted the device and pulled a bottle of disinfectant from Shi Yaoyao’s backpack. "Payment." She handed it to him.

A flicker of surprise crossed Yi Zhe’s eyes, then he smiled and reached out to pat Shi Yuebai on the head. "Brother Yi Zhe thanks you." In truth, a bottle or two of disinfectant was a drop in the bucket for his mercenary team, but the gesture mattered. This chubby girl wasn't as willful or ill-tempered as he had assumed.

Shi Yuebai watched Yi Zhe and Chen Yong leave. She slid the flatbed cart forward, and she and Yaoyao began to sift through the area closest to the perimeter for anything useful. Before long, Yaoyao pulled a baby cradle from the ruins. It was slightly warped, but along with it came several large bags of infant clothes.

Seeing this, Shi Yuebai lavished praise on Yaoyao. "Yaoyao, you’re amazing! You found so many useful things. Bringing you out to scavenge was the right choice—even your mother and Dr. Nong aren't as capable as you."

Complimented, Yaoyao’s face turned red with shyness. Then, she puffed out her little chest, beaming with pride. "Yaoyao... capable..."

Shi Yuebai nodded with a smile and instructed Yaoyao to tidy up the warped cradle and place Shi Xiangrui inside. With mercenaries passing by constantly, their safety was indeed as secure as Yi Zhe had promised.

Once Shi Xiangrui was settled, Yaoyao seemed much more relaxed. She bent down to sift through the rubble. Although she still couldn't control her urge to bob her head, her scavenging speed increased. Shi Yuebai watched her from behind, and whenever Yaoyao grew tired, she would tap her with her long staff, channeling the fatty energy from her own body into Yaoyao’s.

The passing mercenaries watched in astonishment as the pile of items beside Shi Yuebai grew—towels, toothbrushes, bedding sets, and even a box of toothpaste that Yaoyao had unearthed. Just as the mercenaries were about to ask why she was picking up things that couldn't be eaten or drunk, Shi Xiangrui woke up.

"Mm, ah..." The little one cooed, smacking his tiny lips inside the warped cradle.

Yi Zhe and two other mercenaries happened to return from a sweep of the front line and immediately gathered around. "What a cute little one." The three grime-covered mercenaries hadn't seen such a clean, healthy baby in a long time. They stared in fascination for a long while.

A faint smile touched Yi Zhe’s handsome, dust-streaked face. He raised a blackened hand and gently poked Shi Xiangrui’s cheek with a tissue. "He looks just like Shi Yuebai."